


The Butterfly Effect

by WhisperingAFantasy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:33:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25279300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhisperingAFantasy/pseuds/WhisperingAFantasy
Summary: Inspired by HMS - Harmony Two Hundred Word Drabble Tuesday prompt on Discord - "Harry never forgives Ron Weasley in GoF".
Relationships: Harry Potter/Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom/Hannah Abbott
Comments: 6
Kudos: 117
Collections: HMS Harmony Discord Drabbles





	The Butterfly Effect

**Author's Note:**

> This clearly went over 200 words but I couldn’t help myself.
> 
> All typos and grammatical errors are my own. Not beta-read.

Standing behind Harry, he puts a hand on his friend’s shoulder who just simply turns his head around, gives him a small smile and inhales deeply as he looks away again. 

Neville Longbottom gives a firm squeeze to the shoulder he had been holding on before letting go as his eyes peruse and take in their surroundings. His eyes find his gran first, standing out with her vulture hat as she sits in the second row with his Hannah glowing resplendently, her hand resting on her large bump as she gives him a radiant smile that makes his heart skip a beat. 

He spots their former teacher Minerva McGonagall sitting beside his gran. Filius Flitwick in the seat next to Madam Hooch in the next row and last but not the least his eyes fall on Hagrid and his favourite professor and mentor, Pomona Sprout wearing a hat with flowers that look so real that butterflies hover over her head. 

His eyes focus on a particular butterfly, a green and brown one that looks so pretty he wishes he could get a better look at it and his mind recollects a conversation he had had with Hermione ages ago as she had explained to him a concept that the muggles called ‘The Butterfly Effect’.

He hadn’t even realised it back then, but he believes it now; how small things go a long way. 

He remembers Harry going against a dragon and defeating it, the ensuing party that followed it in the Gryffindor common room and more importantly he remembers how Ron had accused Harry of punishing him by stealing his brothers and later learning how the redhead had tried to get back in Harry’s good graces but wasn’t forgiven making it to his ears the next day. Cho informed Marietta, who had informed Padma, who informed Parvati and by the end of the day the whole castle had learned about the fallout of the golden trio.

Harry had taken the day after the task off to rest and relax; joking how Hermione would be on his case the next day but she had magnanimously offered to spare him for the day when Neville had found him lounging in his bed when he returned to his dorm in the evening. 

He still doesn’t know what had prompted those words that had slipped out of his mouth next but they’ll remain etched across his memory forever for a very special reason.

“Wish she had given herself that luxury and taken a day off too, she is researching a way to decipher the golden egg and what the second task has been in the past all the times the tournament has been held.”

“What?!” 

Harry had sprung up so fast on his bed, his back ramrod straight as his eyes had focused on Neville recalls feeling like he had done something wrong for some reason as Harry had then walked out of the common room and disappeared in an instant.

He’d later learn how Harry had assumed that Hermione was relaxing and taking the day off herself but stupidly not confirming that little fact by checking up on her. 

Twenty minutes later, Hermione was all but dragged in by Harry in the empty common room, who had led her by her arm and then sat her on the sofa in front of the fireplace as he took the seat besides her, moving his arm across her shoulders in a bid to keep her in her place and he could have sworn he would remember the expressions on their faces forever as they had realized just how close they had sat as their eyes had met and any and all movements had ceased between them.

He smirks as he recalls Harry thanking him for informing him about Hermione not taking a break before they went to bed that night and Neville had asked Harry in a fit of boldness, spurred by being the lone silent witness of their moment in the common room.

“You don’t need to thank me Harry, but you really should thank Hermione for all she’s been doing for you. Have you thanked her yet?”

The question had knocked the wind out of Harry and Neville had regretted it instantly back then but Harry had then manned up and thanked him again for reminding how poor a friend he was being to his best friend. He recalls Harry mumbling he’d get her a book that she had been mentioning lately, asking him if he knew whether Flourish and Blotts accepted orders by Owl? 

Harry had immediately picked up on his reaction somehow as his face had been sure to give away his disappointment and had misunderstood it entirely. Neville remembers not bothering to correct his mistakes and gently suggesting,

“How about flowers Harry? My gran says that girls like flowers a lot. If you want to get her some fresh flowers I can help you get some from the greenhouse, professor Sprout wouldn’t mind if I went to ask her for them.”

Harry had been apprehensive about them at first, having never given flowers to anyone ever but later had thanked him for being a great friend and for the suggestion and asked him to get him those flowers.

Hermione Granger had found herself the center of attention the next day as socially clueless Harry Potter couldn’t wait to present her those flowers and his gratitude in the Great Hall. 

He remembers the trepidation on Harry’s face that day followed by the sheer joy as Hermione had accepted his flowers after going bright red in the hushed silence of the Great Hall, but had lit up the moment her hands had accepted the bouquet Neville had helped Harry create for her. 

More than that he can remember the heartbroken girls in that hall and his musing is broken as the music begins to play.

His eyes spot Hermione walking in on her father’s arm, her eyes only focused on Harry as she looks divine and he can’t help but notice his friend looking transfixed, and Neville can’t help but poke fun at him while literally poking Harry’s back.

“Breathe Harry, you don’t want to pass out before you exchange your vows with your bride.” 

Harry nods frantically and his hand reaches out to hold Hermione’s who stands in front of him, her maid of honor, Luna Lovegood taking her lovely bouquet from her. 

Neville exchanges a smile with Luna who is beaming at the couple, a butterfly clip in her hair and can’t help but shake his head as he thinks he gets it now, how one small thing can cause a huge difference by impact. Had that one little chit not been spat out, carrying Harry’s name from the goblet all those years ago he’s not sure of what other changes might have occurred in his life but he is sure of one thing, he, Neville Longbottom wouldn’t have found himself as Harry Potter’s best man, for this honour would have been that of one Ronald Billius Weasley. 


End file.
